What's Happening

Politics

Red, Blue, and Moving: Millions of Americans Are Packing Up & Taking Their Politics With Them

What's going on: You’ve heard about “echo chambers?” Well, they don’t just exist on social media. Americans are increasingly living in and moving to communities where more people agree with them politically, according to a new analysis from The New York Times. Researchers reviewed the public voter registration records of more than 3.5 million Americans who moved since 2020. They found that 66% of Republicans moved to states former President Donald Trump won last election, and 54% of Democrats relocated to areas that voted for President Joe Biden. People move for all kinds of reasons — the analysis found that Democrats leaned toward diverse areas (ideally near a Trader Joe’s), while Republicans often sought out small towns (with lower taxes). But politics and preferences factored in too. That's partly because of our natural urge to fit in. As one expert said: “Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Gee, I’m looking forward to having a fight with my neighbors.’” 

What it means: This trend is an unexpected driver of the country’s growing political divide, and the demographic shifts could even impact elections in key battleground states. For instance, in Arizona — which Biden won last time by fewer than 11,000 votes — incoming Republicans have outpaced newbie Democrats by a three-to-two margin. And the Republicans coming into states like Arizona and Texas? They’re largely coming via mass exodus from liberal states like California, adding to the stark contrast. In close races (like the current presidential one), small shifts in voter composition could be crucial. Plus, researchers say the more people ideologically redistrict themselves, the more America changes and the less they hear from others with differing views. Something to think about before loading up the U-Haul.

Related: This Town Could Be the Most Divided Place in America (NYT Gift Link)

Election

In Battleground States, Some Women “Split Vote” for Abortion and Trump

What's going on: As candidates make their final pitches, some moderate and independent voters aren’t letting a single issue define their ballot. In 10 states where abortion is on the ballot, some women in battleground states are splitting their ticket — voting for expanded abortion access and former President Donald Trump. A Washington Post-Schar School poll found that 68% of Arizona voters and 80% of Nevada voters support their state’s abortion referendum. However, that same poll shows Trump and VP Kamala Harris are neck-and-neck in the two swing states. That’s despite Harris making abortion central to her campaign’s messaging while Trump has made conflicting statements, taking credit for the fall of Roe v. Wade while also saying state bans are “too tough.”

What it means: No voting group is a monolith. Some Trump voters feel reassured by his recent promises not to impose a federal abortion ban and agree with him that states should handle the matter. For many Americans, issues like the economy and immigration rank higher on their priority list. Meanwhile, Harris and her campaign are betting big that the abortion issue will mobilize voters in conservative states for her, as it did for some Democratic candidates in the 2022 midterms. They’ve known it would be difficult to win over Republican women and have focused their efforts on undecided female voters. In an election with a growing gender divide, women could be the decisive swing vote tipping the scales.

Related: Trump Says He’s Going to Protect Women “Whether the Women Like It or Not” (Axios)

Relationships

Have Single Women Cracked the Happiness Code?

What's going on: Society has done a phenomenal job of convincing us there is no way a woman can be happy unless she’s in love. Enter: The Cat Lady. However, a new study is challenging that notion. Researchers from the University of Toronto found that single women are happier with their relationship status, sexual satisfaction, and have less of a desire to find a partner than single men. (What, like it’s hard?) The study suggests women might have less to gain in heterosexual relationships. Plus, who wants to fight over the division of all that unpaid household labor? Women also have more financial freedom than ever before, so they have less need for a man (or his credit card). Researchers also theorized that women tend to have stronger social relationships than men.

What it means: In recent years, women have been redefining what it means to be single. Previous generations put a lot of focus on getting married, having kids, and chasing a white picket fence dream. Today, women across the board are prioritizing themselves (because self-care is the best kind of care). In fact, more women are opting to go “boysober” or become celibate. Some have said online dating has ruined their chances at finding love, putting a focus on physical intimacy over emotional. Either way, many women have reported finding more peace in their lives. You love to see it.

Related: Bumble's CEO Says Artificial Intelligence Is the Future of Dating, But Not Everyone Agrees (NBC)